Police: Gardens man beat, choked girlfriend after she caught him with woman

A 24-year-old Palm Beach Gardens man repeatedly beat and choked his girlfriend after she caught him groping another woman at a downtown club, police say.

Darien Michael Albritton was arrested Wednesday evening on charges of battery, battery by strangulation and false imprisonment, city police said.

The 21-year-old victim, who had been dating Albritton for three years, saw him with the other woman Sunday night at Off the Hookah on Clematis Street, according to a police report made public Thursday.

The victim then slapped Albritton in the face and walked off. He chased after her and they began to argue, the report said. Albritton started shoving the victim until a bouncer removed him from the club, the police report claims.

The victim offered to drive Albritton home and he swore at her and continued to shove her while she drove, the report said. Once they arrived, Albritton grabbed, struck and strangled the victim until she gasped for air, police say.

The victim bled from the mouth and nose, the report said. She managed to escape the home and fled in her car, police say. Albritton chased her car, holding on its door and begging her to stop, until she was able to drive away.

She had injuries on her neck, bruising on her arms and knee, her lip was injured and the bridge of her nose discolored, police say.

Aside from misdemeanors in the past, Albritton has no criminal history and no history of domestic violence, which was noted at his first appearance in court Thursday morning.

Judge Caroline Sheppard ordered that Albritton be held in the Palm Beach County Jail on $7,000 bail. He remained there late Thursday.